Awesome Cnc

As impressive as large-scale milling machines can be, compact machines that can create intricate parts are equally fascinating to us. In this clip, Bantam Tools shows off their Desktop PCB Milling Machine as it carves a miniature topographic map of Washington’s Mount Rainier out of a cube of aluminum.

Maker Frank Howarth wanted to make a unique ceiling light to install over his dining table. After playing around with a simpler design, he decided to go with a three-panel design comprising CNC-cut wood slices based on the topography of the lunar surface. They also look like a Joy Division album cover.

Corian is a durable polymer typically used for sinks and kitchen countertops. But in the hands of maker Tim Sway, it’s the body for an electric bass guitar. He used his Avid CNC router to carve both the neck and body out of some reclaimed pieces. Given the material’s stone-like qualities, he went with an ancient Greek motif.

The xTool M1 combines a cutting machine and laser engraver into a single desktop device. Its dual head lets it cut a wider variety of materials than either device alone. It’s available with 5W or 10W lasers, and the higher-power model can cut 8mm thick wood in a single pass. Its 11.8″ x 15.1″ work area is impressive for its size.

If you want to keep people from breaking into your workshop, a big steel door can certainly be a deterrent. Builder Paul Pinto shows off the impressive 400-pound door that he built for his shop with the help of a CNC plasma cutting table. Those rivet heads and wheel mechanism make it look even more impenetrable.

CNC plasma cutters are big and expensive, but this tabletop robot lets anyone add a computer-controlled metal cutter to their workshop. While it can be used with CAD software, it requires no external computer for operation. Its arm can also be used to trace cutting templates. It can cut an area up to 26” x 15”. Plasma torch not included.

A dovetail joint that locks on four sides seems physically impossible. But craftspeople have figured out a way to build these perplexing objects with some tricky diagonal cuts. Fix This Build That used his X-Carve CNC machine to create a cutting board with the technique, and the resulting piece looks really awesome.

GT Scientific CNC machines pen holders from aluminum and applies Cerakote thin-film ceramic coating to give them color and a protective outer layer. Each of its four openings has a Delrin liner to protect writing instruments. They offer a special deal on imperfect ones if you want to save a few bucks.

YouTuber Phuc Nguyen shared this hypnotic video of an intricate image being engraved out of a thick disc of brass. He used a Woodpecker DP1212 CNC router, and a variety of different tooling bits to gradually increase the detail of the design.

We’ve watched Broinwood create some pretty amazing cutting boards before. This Star Wars-themed butcher block really brings out the geek in us. We love watching the ballet of man and machine as the scene comes together with X-wing fighters taking on the Death Star as Darth Vader looms large.

This compact machine offers a great and inexpensive entry point to computer-controlled fabrication. It can be set up in less than 30 minutes and can mill various materials like foam, wood, plastics, and metals. Its working area measures 300mm x 180mm and can work on objects up to 45mm thick.

This compact desktop laser can cut wood, acrylic, leather, and other textiles, and the 10-watt model can engrave just about anything, including glass and aluminum, and cut through 5mm wood in a single pass. Its bed is large enough for objects up to 8.26″ x 7.48″, and an optional roller allows for engraving cylindrical objects.

Engineers from MIT CSAIL have developed LaserFactory, an innovative fabrication machine that uses a modified laser cutter to create entire devices. It can cut parts, pour silver circuit traces, and place electronic components all in one system. In this video, it makes a drone, which flies straight out of the machine.

To prove how fast and durable the Kennametal HPR drill bit is, the guys from Titans of CNC: Academy programmed one of their machines to drill a perfect grid of 672 holes in a block of cast iron. The tool moves at an impressive 103 inches-per-minute, drilling 1.85″ deep holes over and over again without wearing down.

Machine shop DataPro shares hypnotic footage of a Datron CNC milling machine, as it takes a disc of aluminum and transforms it into a precise and smoothly formed gear. It was shot as a time-lapse, but won’t it be awesome when machines can do this in real time?

We’ve already seen what artist Brother in Wood can make using his creativity, woodworking skills, and high-tech CNC equipment. Watch him create his most impressive cutting board yet, an inlaid design based on an awe-inspiring engraved coin design by Alexey Saburov. Custom cutting boards can be ordered here.

This CNC-machined titanium pen comes from Canadian metal goods maker FocusWorks. Its design combines a sleek technical style with an organic-looking “dragonskin” textured grip. Its accompanying clicky cap attaches securely without screw threads or o-rings. It takes a standard Schmidt Easyflo 9000 cartridge.

Injection molding is the process of injecting melted plastics into a mold to create parts. It’s typically reserved for large, industrial machines, but the MicroMolder changes that. It can accept aluminum, 3D-printed SLA, or high-temp cast urethane tooling, producing production-quality parts from pellets.

The classic NASA “worm” logo is back, and now you can own a memento of this iconic work of graphic design thanks to Register Seven. The company will produce a sweet CNC-machined version of the logo milled from 6061-T6 aluminum, then anodized in NASA red, black, or grey. Measures 7.5″ w x 2″ h x 1″ d.

From the expert machinists at AltDynamic comes their most impressive creation yet, a family of elegant aluminum playthings which look nothing like a sphere, yet can roll like one. Each one splits down the middle and is held together with magnets. They come in three variants, each with its own unique rolling properties.

The M2 is a CNC machine that can automatically cut shapes in materials up to 4′ x 8′. Instead of taking up table space, it mounts on the wall and uses a precision chain drive to move a router on X/Y axes, while it can adjust the router Z-axis for depth. Sold in kit form, and the DeWalt 611 router shown is sold separately.

There are lots of machines out there that can cut holes in flat sheets of steel, but MarkGyver built a machine that can make cuts into the curved face of a cylinder. Using a high-heat plasma cutter and a chain-driven rotating holder, the computer-controlled system can make smooth cuts through the surface of a steel tube.

Bantam Tools‘ CNC milling machine makes it easier than ever to create prototypes right on your desktop. It works quickly and automatically adjusts based on material location and tool length. It can mill a variety of materials including aluminum, brass, steel, copper, wood, and more, with a working volume of 7″ x 9″ x 3.5″.